


Care Package

by heartsyhawk



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen, Pre-Relationship, Warden Carver Hawke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 15:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19479151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsyhawk/pseuds/heartsyhawk
Summary: Carver is in a foul mood because he's been working in full plate in Fereldan summer to help restore the city of Amaranthine and also it is his birthday. He comes back to the keep to find a surprisingly thoughtful birthday surprise.





	Care Package

**Author's Note:**

> I figure Anders of anyone would understand the pain of mourning and the needs of a new Grey Warden pretty well. Also I transferred Carver to the Fereldan Wardens because it makes me happy that he's back where his Fereldan-to-his-mabari-dog-tattoo butt belongs and also opens the potential to the Awakening Wardens for future interaction.

“Hawke, the Seneschal asked to see you.”

“What for?” Carver grumbled irritably at the soldier waiting at the entrance to the keep who’d stopped him.

“I dunno, ser. Just know I’m supposed to tell you to report in first thing.” The soldier shrugged apologetically.

Carver groaned and headed inside. He had spent the last two weeks in Amaranthine building houses and then he and his unit had marched most of the way back to Vigil's Keep. All he wanted in the world was a long bath, some dinner, and to sleep in an actual bed. And maybe a stiff drink or six.

His mood had been sour for a few days. It had been unseasonably hot and humid since he left for the city and he’d had to get there in full plate, build houses in the sun all day (without the magically created snow he’d cooled off with every summer growing up that he tried not to think about), all while sharing a tent with Oghren. The people of Amaranthine had made it all that much more unpleasant by throwing tons of trash talk--and sometimes literal trash--at the Wardens, who they blamed for the city’s destruction in the first place (never mind that Commander Elissa Theirin (neé Cousland) had personally funded most of the repair efforts and been sending as many Wardens as she could spare at any given time to help with the cleanup and rebuilding). It was also his birthday.

He hadn't told any of the other Wardens, although it was in his file, so his Commanders (and anyone else who had access to the files) probably knew. He didn't want to celebrate; he hadn't wanted to since the day he realized he would never celebrate it as a twin again. Last year he had spent the entire day (and the day before and after) drunk off his ass and doing a lot of reckless things to stay as numb as he could.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as simple with the Wardens. He couldn't just vanish for three days while he was on duty and there wasn't anyone here he was close enough to ask to keep an eye on him. He didn't have Varric covering his tab or Marian to make sure he was eating well or Anders to draw away the worst of the hangover with magic.

“Welcome back, Hawke,” the Seneschal greeted as soon as he entered the main hall. “I trust things went well in the city?”

Carver nodded. “Yes, ser. We made some good progress. I was told you needed to see me?”

“Yes, but don't look so nervous, Warden. It’s nothing bad, I promise,” The Seneschal said wryly. “You've had some mail from Kirkwall. A few letters and a parcel. It was just a bit much to leave with the young lady at the gate as we didn't know exactly when to expect your unit.”

Carver nodded again as a page he hadn't previously noticed approached holding a box with a stack of envelopes on top. He definitely hadn't expected any presents this year and was both touched and slightly exasperated.

“Someone cares quite a bit about you,” the page said with a smile.

“Well, you know how mothers are,” Carver muttered awkwardly. “Thanks.” He glanced at the Seneschal expectantly.

“You're dismissed, Hawke,” the Seneschal smiled. “I’ll see you at dinner. And happy birthday, by the way.”

Carver flushed and nodded quickly before hurrying to his room. He set his mail down on his bed and made quick work of divesting himself from his armor. It would need cleaning but, for now, that could wait, so into a pile in the corner it went. The rest of him needed a good scrub too, but he found himself curious about the stack of letters and especially that box.

He sat down at his desk and grabbed the envelopes and package. He could have a bath after going through his mail and would stay in until dinner, he decided.

The first letter was from Varric, who had kept in fairly regular touch. He’d enclosed a few coins, a key to a bank vault in his name where his share of the expedition profits was stored, and a brief update about his friends.

He was a little surprised to see a letter from Peaches in the mix, and more than a little embarrassed that the Seneschal had read it. She had remembered his birthday, and had gone off on a tangent about birthday spankings and a desire to lick cake off his belly that she had clearly assumed would be a private message.

Isabela had sent a letter too. The actual message was short, and fairly sentimental for the pirate. But she had also included a several page excerpt of her latest and smuttiest “friend fiction”. Peaches and her birthday spankings and creative application of cake were a dry Chantry sermon about Chastity in comparison. He set it carefully at the bottom of his chest for later, more thorough reading, and hoped the Senaschal and whatever pages had gone through the mail would never speak to him about it.

The next was one from his sister, Marian. She opened with yet another apology for the Deep Roads, before explaining that the paperwork had gone through for ownership of their Mother's estate. She was having everything cleaned and repaired and furnishing it from her own share of the expedition money, and was setting up a room for him so it could always be his home too, when it was ready to live in. She’d tucked a fancy brass key with his initials and their family crest engraved on the end into her letter and the whole thing made his insides squirm.

The rest of the letters were from Mother. One about the house, one reminding him to change his socks and underwear every day, one making sure he was eating properly where she had thoughtfully included several recipes for his favorite foods, four dedicated to various questions about his friends and love life, one inquiring whether he could use his Warden contacts to track down any of her cousin's children, one assuring him that if he needed money she would send it, three talking about how much she and Marian had been frequently attending service at the Chantry, one about the garden she had started, and one very long emotionally exhausting one one about his birthday.

He set them aside and resolved to write a reply after dinner and grabbed for the box, which he half assumed was also from Mother. It wasn't and he nearly dropped it in surprise when he read the note inside.

~~~

_Dear Carver,_

_~~I am so sorry.~~ _

_~~I hope someday you can forgive my role in--~~ _

_~~I know I am probably one of the last people you want to hear from right now but--~~ _

_Your mother and sister told me you had survived your Joining and I wanted to offer my congratulations and my apologies for my part in it. It wasn't a decision I got to make for myself, and it haunts me that I helped make it in your stead._

_I do think you'll be a much better Warden than I ever was. For one thing, the Chantry will not challenge your conscription and send a battalion of Templars to hover over you, but for another, I know that you’ve been looking for a way to find your place and purpose. I had several friends who found theirs in Vigil's Keep. ~~Plus, I imagine Warden Blue really brings out your eyes …~~_

_If you do not want me contacting you again, just let me know or do not respond to this and I won't. But your mother also mentioned that your birthday was coming up and I remember how upset you were last year._

_I don't know the pain of grieving a twin, but I do know my own grief for my...for Karl who was my dearest friend and more. Losing him was like losing a part of my own heart. Certain days have been harder than others; the anniversary of the day he first kissed me, Wintersend, the day he died, and so forth, but his birthday was agonizing--death by a thousand cuts with a searing hot and dull knife._

_It is not fair or right that time passes without him, or your sister, for that matter, and it seems extra awful on birthdays. I can't imagine how much worse it is that her birthday is **your** birthday. I can only hope you find some comfort in some of the things I’ve sent you._

_I know your mail is probably gone through at the Keep. Mine was, when I was there. In any case, I trust the Seneschal will see that you get everything you are supposed to, but here's an itemized list of what is in this box anyway:_

> **_Hangover Draughts_ **
> 
>   * _Green bottles x_5 (+recipe)_
>   * _Take ½ bottle with food to alleviate the worst symptoms of a hangover. It's unfortunately supposed to taste like that and any attempt to sweeten it renders it useless. If you eat and have a glass of water between each drink you shouldn't need this._
> 

> 
> **_Sleeping Draughts_ **
> 
>   * _Yellow bottles x_10 (+recipe)_
>   * _**ONE TEASPOON** before bed to fall asleep. **NEVER** take more than that; this stuff is potent. It should help with the nightmares too._
> 

> 
> **_Willow Bark Tea_ **
> 
>   * _boxes x_3 (+recipe)_
>   * _For pain relief_
>   * _Steep as regular tea, no sugar_
> 

> 
> **_Pepper paste (x_1 jar +recipe)_ **
> 
>   * _To soothe aches_
>   * _Rub a small amount into sore muscles_
> 

> 
> **_Heat rune (x_2)_ **
> 
>   * _These are reusable!_
> 

> 
> **_Cold rune (x_2)_ **
> 
>   * _These are reusable!_
> 

> 
> **_First Aid kit_ **
> 
>   * _Injury kit (x_5)_
>   * _Health Poultice_
>   * _(Lesser x_2)_
>   * _(Regular strength x_5)_
>   * _(Potent x_2)_
>   * _Bandages (roll x_3)_
> 

> 
> **_Soap_ **
> 
>   * _6 bars_
>   * _Trust me when I say you do not want to let the smells build up in your clothes, armor, skin, or hair especially in the heat of summer._
>   * _Grate some of this soap and some elfroot into your boots once a week._
> 

> 
> **_A blue knit scarf_ **
> 
>   * _There is literally nothing worse than dealing with darkspawn when you have a cold. Please keep your nose and ears covered when it’s damp or freezing._
> 

> 
> **_One whetstone_ **
> 
>   * _The Commander always said a sharp blade is a safe blade. She gave this stone to Justice, before he and I joined._
> 

> 
> **_A chocolate cake  
> _ ** __
> 
>   * _I froze it with ice runes and a spell designed to unfreeze them at your touch specifically. There's enough that you can share, if you wanted to, but you certainly don't need to._
> 


_I know you are not a child, and that you can take care of yourself. I just hope this care package makes it a little easier to do._

_Warden life is not a stroll through the garden in a lot of ways most people who aren’t Wardens never understand. If there is anything else you need, or if you ever want to talk to someone who’s been there, I will always welcome your letters. Please take care of yourself._

_~~love~~ _   
_Anders_

_~~~_

Carver stared at the letter for a long moment. It took him several more to realize a smile had crept onto his mouth and a prickly sensation that might have been tears was working at the corners of his eyes.

He and Anders had gotten off to a rocky start; Anders and Justice wanted vocal support for the horrible treatment of mages and Carver wanted desperately to keep his sister safe and unnoticed by the people who treat mages horribly. But they had grown to respect and trust each other in the months they worked together. By the time they left for the deep roads they had been spending time together outside of missions with Marian for dinner, cards, or the occasional mage underground outing. One might have even called them friends.

When Carver had contracted the Blight Sickness in the Deep Roads, Anders had been distraught enough to hunt down Stroud and his group, despite his fear of being brought back to the Wardens. He hadn’t really been able to communicate it well at the time, what with the Blight slowly killing him and all, but he had been grateful for the chance to survive. And while it wasn’t the glorious work of legend (legends never tell about Wardens cleaning up garbage or horse dung, after all), he did infinitely prefer it to dying of the Blight. As much as he cursed his sister for making the final decision to turn him over for a Joining when things got extra unpleasant sometimes, he had never blamed Anders for it.

It had never even occurred to him that Anders would blame himself, honestly. Anders was the one who kept them alive in the Deep Roads; he had boiled all of their water, kept protective barriers and healing auras up, warned about nearby darkspawn, and kept any of their wounds clean and swiftly healed. He had helped find Stroud and convinced him Carver would be an asset to the Wardens. That memory was hazy, but Carver treasured it. He had been sagged against his sister, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, looking the least impressive he ever had. And Anders had talked him up, sang praises of his skill and valor, and experience fighting Darkspawn.

He couldn't even really blame his sister. And It was Marian, in an uncharacteristic bit of aggressiveness, who took the choice out of Carver’s hands once Stroud had been persuaded to take a chance putting Carver through the Joining. As she had written a dozen and a half times, she made the only choice she really could in the circumstances. She hadn’t been able to do anything to save Father or Bethany, and the chance Carver could survive was worth the price to her. She felt a lot of guilt about it afterward, judging by her letters, and had almost certainly endured a lot of Mother being viciously passive aggressive, judging by how well he knew his mother and remembering exactly who she blamed for Bethany’s dying, but ultimately she had made the right choice--the same choice Carver would have made for her if the situations had been reversed. He’d have to tell her that, he mused to himself, when he got around to replying to her letter.

He’d have to reply to Anders first though. This easily was the most thoughtful birthday present he’d been given in years. Anders had clearly put a lot of thought about what Carver might actually need or want. And he had almost certainly made the potions and draughts himself. Maker knew the mage did not have much at any given time, and so every item in the crate was extra precious. The scarf and whetstone had personal, intimate history. And he hadn’t had a birthday cake since before Father got sick.

He chewed his lip for a moment. There was still a while until the bell rang for dinner. He still had plenty of time to take the bath he wanted and needed. But first, he decided as he sat down and reached for a sheet of paper from the bundle he had specifically for letters home and a pencil, he needed to thank Anders for the gifts.

**Author's Note:**

> Anders' gifts are all very practical, but it is worth nothing that the scarf and whetstone are things the Warden gave to Anders and Justice respectively before they joined and so it is a very sentimental set of presents too.


End file.
